The present invention relates to equipment shipping, storage, and maintenance. In particular, embodiments of the invention provide a combination transport container, long-term storage, and maintenance stand/lift for electronics equipment such as a radar system.
Containers in current use do not provide effective protection of electronic equipment against environmental conditions, particularly in extended storage conditions at austere or remote locations. Moreover, remote or austere locations might not be properly equipped for the various logistics or maintenance tasks. For example, runways at austere locations might only have a single runway or limited to no facilities to perform maintenance functions. Large or heavy end items, particularly delicate end items susceptible to damage during handling and installation, e.g. large aircraft radar units that require elevation to a significant height, require a substantial amount of maintenance support equipment which is frequently not available in a variety of locations. Such support equipment often lacks necessary maneuverability for moving large or heavy items in small increments to facilitate installation on an end item. An example of needed maneuverability could be an aircraft that requires small adjustments to align, e.g., mounting bolts, connections to end item equipment with transmission shafts, electrical connections, hydraulic connections, exhaust stacks, etc. In addition, surfaces that are utilized for maintenance tasks or logistics tasks may be uneven, poorly built, unimproved, or poorly maintained, thus providing a difficult environment to perform necessary industrial or maintenance actions. These poor conditions are particularly difficult for manipulation, installation or removal of heavy or large end items such as engines, radar units, etc. Such environments or lack neglect of required maintenance support equipment can lead to substantial delays in performing required maintenance as well as creating a need to fly in or transport support equipment that might be required to perform required maintenance or logistics tasks. Moreover, failure analysis and testing has revealed that existing storage equipment, e.g., containers, canisters, etc, have a significant vulnerability to environmental conditions. In a case where such a container or canister is left on a ground surface, temperature variations between portions touching a ground surface and other sections can be significant. For example, a canister that is grounded can have differential temperature regions in its canister from one area to another such as, for example, a canister area having ground contact, that leads to undesirable internal environmental conditions in the canister, e.g., increased internal condensation as well as convection of air within the canister, etc. Undesirable environmental or storage conditions can then lead to increased or premature failure rates of equipment stored therein. Also, a need exists to provide a reusable system, which can be utilized multiple times with minimal to no refurbishing/cleaning from one use to another use. Yet another present problem is a lack of a storage unit capable of being used in intermodal travel, e.g., one that facilitates airborne, surface, and seaborne transportation using both civil and military transportation systems. Accordingly, a need exists for a single storage, installation/maintenance support equipment, and transportation solution that addresses a combination of these needs and problems.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, an Equipment Shipping, Storage, Lift and Installation (ESSLI) system is provided. One embodiment can include a reusable shipping, storage, and Mobile Maintenance Platform (MMP) that provides an atmospherically sealed environment during storage, as well as providing for receiving, transport, and on-site or point of install or replacement installation of equipment such as sensitive electronic cargo. In particular, embodiments of the invention can include an equipment shipping, storage, and maintenance support system that includes a cover assembly including a variety of features and the MMP coupled to the cover assembly via a plurality of latches. The MMP includes retractable wheel assemblies which enable lateral movement on a support surface in proximity to an end item with an equipment item mounted thereon (e.g., an aircraft with an aircraft radar). The MMP includes a vertical lift system that attaches or detaches from the equipment item to raise or lower the equipment item during maintenance activities. The cover can be installed on the MMP to provide protection against external environment in a storage or transit/shipping modes. The MMP also includes removable jacks which enable raising or lower of the MMP either during maintenance to reorient the equipment item for maintenance or storage purposes to include mitigate of undesirable environmental impacts from storage.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.